Pivot-type universal ball joint



July 28, 1925. 1,547,482

L. D. WOODRUFF PIVOT TYPE UNIVERSAL BALL'JOINT Filed March 8, 1924 Patented July 28, 1925g PAIENI nneNIDns n. WOODRUFF, on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PIVOT-myn uNIvnnsAL Bann JOINT.

Application filed Malll 8, 1324;. Serial No. 637,891

To all wfwm mag/- @encarna Be it knQWn that I, 4InaoNIDns D.- Woon- RUFF, a Citizen of the 'Unite-d States, meid: ing at Chicago, in the county of Geol; and

5 State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pivot-Type Universal Ball Joints; and I do hereby dec-lare the following to be aV full, elear, and exact description of the saine, reference` being had to. the aeeempanyng drawings,

forming'part ofthis speeiioation.

This. invention relates t0 ball .jointe fer general use although the joint speciiically illustrated is intended primarily for railway use, different-.gaskets being fnrnished with the joint depending uponwvhetherthe device is intended for service with steam, vair or Water.' i

The principal object'of the ypresent inven-` tion is to improve generally .jeintsof the ball and socket-variety by reducing the friction so thattheball may move more readily VWhen the steam pressure is applied` and to simplify the joint itself.

A further object of thepreSent. invention is to reduce the amount ofimaehine Work necessary and to .design thejont so as to render it convenient 'te reneyv any one .of the parts. By unscrewing a single set of threads theinteriorof the joint is, acnessible and any desiredV part may be removed except the cradlevor the ball, and to. remove either or both of these Y embers only tivo sets of threads need be unscrewed, l Y

Further .objects of .the presentinvention relate more particularlyto the'specific tails which give certain. advantages hereinaft-er -specied, as for example the ease with which dust, grit and sand fall from vthe j ont 40 differing inV thisY respect 'from all j onts with which I am familiar and in Whiehsuch accumulations are Washedout by the leondensedwater passing tlleugll it! In the dravi/ings,-k Fig. l is a vertical section. Fig, 2 is also. ar central verteal section but iS. ktaken at right angles. tothat of 1f Fig` 3, is. a plan View of the lewer members .0i the joint Y Fig. 4L is. a perspective view of; the eradle. The. casing l0. and its gasket lll, held in nlaeeby esteri-M122' .are ,et une in @eminem use as is the ball member 14, the essential fea: tures of the present invention concerning themselves entirely With the mode of supporting the ball in the eleevel. Y

The sleeve A1 5 in Yaccordance WithV oemmon Custom-is Cylindrical and le threaded. at" the top to receive the threaded flange 16 of the casing lO in order to bring` the ball intoI centact with the gasket 1l and to place the spring 12 under the desired tension. The anti-yibration ring 17 aids very materially in securing the proper action and preserving the life of the gasket llv and, althongh of rather recent invention, has been. found highly satisfactory. f

The sleeve l5 has an annular shoulder in which two freely sli-dable supporting' members 2l are placed, these members preferably being triangular, and, semi-oircular in plan to' fit' snugl7 against the side; of the casing. with 'but a small Space bQWeen the .tivo

:sesY

supports.' Each `of the supports has asnb stantially central opening 23 which serves as a bearing for one of the trunnions 24 of the vcradle 25y Which is. the sole supporting lmember for the ball. The cradle, aside from the trunnions, is generally oval having y an elongated slot 27 'in the bottpmA its upper portion being recessed to. prevent Contact with the ball, therebeing'a conseqnent shoulder 29 between the/"cylindrical surface 30 which snugly lits the ball the reessed portion 3l, which' is most readily seen in Figs. l and 4:. Y

The contact surface between the, ball and the cradle ie entirely below the axisY ef 'the trunnions and yet perfect freedom Qi"l moyament is permitted the ball Within the defined by the beveled annular surface @il at the bottom of the sleeve 1n. Since heeradle pivots on its Vtrun'nions and the support for the trunnions swivels in the Sleeve there vis no. possibilityof the ball becoming unequally Wern'in ridges Wheh OCC/elfe RO-t. illifrequently, belle supported by the., usual unvereal'joint connection, the ridges being caused hard spotsinthe gasket.l Inthe.

present device there iS DOOPpOS/iter i120 twisting of ,the ball and ,nuee I flld .that the ball soon eeqereeelvery Smooth P91- ished surface",

Paneele? attention efnvited .te the eX- treme simplicity of renewing any part ot the joint. The casing and sleeve are connected together by the usual threaded connection on the periphery of the flange 16 and as usual are locked bythe `cotteiI pin 3G and the separation oi' these threads permit the removal of the semi-cylindrical supports 2l, the spring, anti-vibration ring, or gasket, directly, and by disconnecting the ball from the pipe or other iitting secured to the threads 37 permit removal of the ball or the cradle. Except in case of serious accident the only part requiring renewal is the gasket and as seen in the drawing this is at once accessible upon separation of the casing and sleeve. j

A further feature worthy of note `in the present design is the lack of accuracy necessary in machining the joint or in the assembly since the center line ot the ball, although preferably so, is not absolutely'required to be on an exact line between the centerline of the two pivots.` j The opening between the cradle'and the casing readily permits the falling out of dust, grit and sand, there being a veryconsiderable space between these members' as best seen'in Fig. 3 and in the present joint there is no occasion to wash out these accumulations due to theabsence ot any pocket wherein'dirt or other mata ter could lodge. What I claim is:

i l. A ball joint oli the type in which a pipe having a spherical head or ball is in communication with a second pipe having an e`nlargement to receive a portion of said head, a cap or sleeve detachably engaging said enlargement and surrounding a portion ot said head: characterized by the provision of a pivoted cradle for said head and a rotatably mounted means providing bearings for the trunnions` of said cradle. j

2. A ball joint ot' the type in which a pipe having a spherical head or ball is in communication with a second pipe having an enlargement to *receive a portion of said head, a cap orrsleeve detachably engaging said enlargement and surrounding a portion oit' said head: characterized by the'provision of a pivoted slotted cradle for said head and a rotatably mounted means providing bearings for the trunnions of said cradle, the lolt of the cradle receiving the neckot 'the 3. A ball joint of the type in which a pipe 4,having a spherical head or ball is in communication with a second pipe having an `enlargement to receive a portion of said head, a cap or sleeve detachably engaging j said enlargement and surrounding a portion of said head: characterized by the provision 1of a pivoted slotted cradle Jfor said head and a rotatably mounted means providing bearings for the trunnions of said cradle, the slot Aot the cradle receiving the c lar position of neck of the ball, the cradle being recessed to prevent any contact between the ball and cradle toone side of the axis of the cradle trunnions.

4L. A ball joint ot the type in which a pipe having a spherical head or ballis in come munication with a second pipe having an enlargement to receive a portion of said head, a

cap or sleeve detachably engaging said enlargement and surrounding a portion of said head: characterized by the provision of a pivoted cradlei'or said head and a rotatably mounted means providing bearings for the trunnions of saidcradle, said means including two semi-circular members swivelly mounted `in the sleeve 'and each havingV a circular opening therethrough toi receive a trunnion .of the cradle.`

5. In "a ball joint, a casing, a sleevede tachably secured to said casing, ajball, a cradle for saidball, and meansfor loosely and` rotatably securing said lcradle within said sleeve saidjcradle and securing means being held against relative rotation lwith respectto each other whilepermittingthe cradle to rock. l" "Y j 6. Ina ball joint, a casing, a sleeve 'dean annular shoulder, a ball, a cradle for said ball, and means for loosely and rota- Y tably securingl said cradle within'said .sleeve so as to swivelabout on said shoulder and to freely turn on its pivotfin any anguthe swivel said cradle and securing meansbeing held against relative rotation with respect to each other while permitting the cradle tok rock.-

f7; Inaball joint, a casing` 4a sleevedetachably secured tosaid casingA andhaving an annular shoulder therein, a ball, a

trunnioned cradletor said ball.,l a plurality of supports rotatably secured on said shoulfj der and each providing ajournal for one of lthe trunnions of the `cradle and` Vresilient means carried by the casing to Jform a iuid tight joint with said ball." Y

8. A ball joint ofthe type having a casing and aball pivoted in a supporting member which is in turn pivotally mounted with respect to the fcasing soV that the ball may have universal movementrcharacterized by the pivotal `bearings of. `the\supporting Y member being movable with respect to the casings. i j j 9. A ball jointjof thetype having a easing and aA ball pivotd ina supporting meinber which is in turn pivotally mounted Ywith `respect to the casingr so that the ball may have universal movement; `characterized by the pivotal bearings of the supporting inember being rotatable within the casings.

io. A haii joint ofthe type having a cas, j Ving and a ball pivoted in a` supporting memberwhich is in turn pivotally mounted with respect to the casing so thatfthe ball may musa a have universal movement; characterized by the pivotal bearings of the supporting member being rotatable and axially movable Within the easings.

11. A ball joint of the type having a easing and a ball pivoted in a supporting member Which is in turn pivotally mounted With respect to the Casing so that the ball may have universal movement; characterized by the provision of a swiveling ring loosely 10 mounted. in the casings and in Which the supporting member is pivoted.

LEONIDAS D. WOODRUFF. 

